1. Feudal SocietyPolitical Structure

2. WHY WAS FEUDALISM NECESSARY?

4. Who’s got the Power? • Power based on owning land • Charles Martel started giving soldiers fiefs (land) as rewards for service • Soldiers got money from fiefs to buy equipment and horses for battle. • Due to this, ownership became tied to military service.

5. Charlemagne • Stands out during Middle Ages. • Tries to bring back Roman Ideals. • Ruled the Franks, who were becoming a powerful group of people. Who’s Your Daddy?

6. Europe after Charlemagne • No central government at this time. • Kings weak; Nobles gained power. • Nobles soon began to give land to peasants by promising to protect them for their loyalty. • By 1000 AD, W. Europe divided into thousands of feudal territories. • Peasants had no voice in government; Nobles controlled land AND people.

7. Relationship Between Lords and Vassals • Rigid class structure based on loyalty and service. • Nobles consisted of lords and vassals – all reported to King. • Fiefs given to vassals by lords. • Lords gave vassals right to govern people living on fief and promised to protect them from attacks.

8. What is a Knight? • Almost all nobles were knights. • Training began at age 7, as a paige, under guidance of lady of the manor. • Became squires at 15 and were trained by other knights. • Those deemed worthy were “dubbed” knights.

9. What about the females? • Noblewomen called Ladies. • Most marriages arranged. • Women responsible for the house and children.

10. Workers on the Manor • 2 groups of peasant workers on manor • Freemen- skilled workers; paid rent and could leave manor when they wished. (Usually had skill needed on the manor.) • Serfs – workers bound to land by contract with the nobles. (Had no freedom - noble’s property.)

11. Angles, Saxons, and Magyars, Oh My!! • Angles and Saxons (from England) • Vikings (from N. Europe) • Magyars (from Hungary/Central Asia) • Their attacks made the fiefs have to defend themselves.

12. Castles • Built in response to the constant invasions. • Best defense tactic for trying to invade castle, wait it out until people inside starve to death. • In the long-run, they helped to strengthen the feudal system.

13. REVIEW Let’s see how much you remember! • Everyone owed loyalty to the ________ • _______ were really the most powerful. They got _______ from the king. • Lesser nobles (knights) gave _________ _________ in return for land • _______ were bound to the land. They worked in return for ____________. • __________ were skilled workers. They paid rent to the ______ and were free to move if they wanted to.

14. Check Your Answers • Everyone owed loyalty to the king. • Nobles were really the most powerful. They got land from the king. • Lesser nobles (knights) gave militaryservice in return for land. • Serfs were bound to the land. They worked in return for protection. • Freemen were skilled workers. They paid rent to the nobles and were free to move if they wanted to.

15. THE END HISTORY NOTES